Sedum plant named ‘Novem’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Sedum  plant named ‘Novem’, characterized by its upright plant habit; freely basal branching growth habit; and purple-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Sedum telephium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Novem’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Sedumplant, botanically known as Sedum telephium, and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Novem’.

The new Sedum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program is to develop new compact Sedum cultivars with uniformgrowth habit and attractive flower coloration.

The new Sedum originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventorin 2002 of the Sedum telephium cultivar Purple Emperor, not patented, asthe female, or seed, parent with the Sedum telephium cultivarHerbstfreude, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newSedum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single floweringplant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in acontrolled environment in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands in 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken atRijpwetering, The Netherlands, since 2003, has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Sedum are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Novem have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Novem’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Novem’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.    -   2. Freely basal branching growth habit.    -   3. Purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Sedum can be compared to plants of the female parent,the cultivar Purple Emperor. Plants of the new Sedum differ from plantsof the cultivar Purple Emperor primarily in plant height as plants ofthe new Sedum are more compart than plants of the cultivar PurpleEmperor.

Plants of the new Sedum can be compared to plants of the male parent,the cultivar Herbstfreude. Plants of the new Sedum differ from plants ofthe cultivar Herbstfreude primarily in plant height as plants of the newSedum are more compact than plants of the cultivar Herbstfreude.

Plants of the new Sedum can also be compared to plants of the Sedumtelephium cultivar Lajos, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,421. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands,plants of the new Sedum differed from plants of the cultivar Lajos inthe following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Sedum were more compact than plants of the        cultivar Lajos.    -   2. Plants of the new Sedum and the cultivar Lajos differed in        leaf coloration as plants of the Lajos had variegated leaves.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which more accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Sedum. The photograph is a side perspective view of atypical plant of ‘Novem’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for theaforementioned photographs and following description were grown underconditions which closely approximate commercial production conditionsduring the late summer in an outdoor nursery in Rijpwetering, TheNetherlands for about one year. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures ranged from 14 to 32° C. and night temperatures ranged from7 to 18° C.

-   Botanical classification: Sedum telephium cultivar Novem.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Sedum telephium cultivar Purple Emperor, not            patented.        -   Male parent.—Sedum telephium cultivar Herbstfreude, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About three months at            18° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fleshy; light brown in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form/growth habit.—Upright plant form; inverted triangle.            Freely basal branching, about four basal branches per plant;            moderately vigorous growth habit. Numerous single flowers            arranged in terminal and axillary cymes.        -   Plant height.—About 51 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 32 cm.        -   Branch description.—Length: About 39 cm. Diameter: About            7 mm. Internode length: About 4.3 cm. Strength: Moderately            strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture: Smooth, glabrous;            succulent. Color: 184C; towards the base, 182B to 182C.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple; sessile.            Length: About 5.8 cm. Width: About 3.1 cm. Shape: Ovate.            Apex: Bluntly acute. Base: Cordate; clasping. Margin:            Irregularly serrate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous; succulent. Venation pattern: Pinnate;            arcuate. Color: Developing foliage, upper surface: Between            186A and 200A. Developing foliage, lower surface: N187C to            147A to 148A. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: Between            186A and 200A; venation, similar to lamina. Fully expanded            foliage, lower surface: 148A; towards the apical margin,            N187A to N187B; venation, 146A to 146B tinted with 187A to            187B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and shape.—Small single star-shaped            flowers arranged in terminal and axillary compound cymes;            cymes roughly hemispherical. Flowers face mostly upright.            Freely flowering, about 110 flowers and flower buds per            lateral branch.        -   Natural flowering season.—Flowering continuous from August            through September in The Netherlands.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Individual last about two            weeks on the plant. Flowers persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Shape: Ovoid. Color: 182A; towards the apex, 183B to 183C.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 8.8 cm.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 4.7 cm.        -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 7 mm. Depth (height): About 5 mm.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Five, fused at base. Length: About            4 mm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces:            187D; towards the base, 186D; color becoming closer to 183A            to 183B with development. Fully opened, upper and lower            surfaces: 187D; towards the base, 186D.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Five sepals fused at the base;            campanulate. Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: About 0.7 mm.            Sepal shape: Narrowly ovate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal            texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Sepal            color, upper surface: 177C. Sepal color, upper surface:            177C; heavily spotted with 185C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 12 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Aspect: Erect to about 30° from vertical. Color: 184C.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Aspect: Erect to about 45° from the stem axis. Color: 177C;            heavily spotted with 185C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per            flower/arrangement: About ten; five stamens at base of            petals; other five, free. Anther shape: Broadly oblong;            flattened. Anther length: About 0.4 mm. Anther color: 8B to            8C. Filament length: About 3 mm. Filament color: N155B.            Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 6C. Pistils:            Quantity/arrangement: Five per flower; prominent; fused at            the base; star-shaped. Pistil length: About 3 mm. Stigma            shape: Rounded; minute. Stigma color: 186A. Style length:            About 2.5 mm. Style color: 186C to 186D. Ovary color: 186C            to 186D or lighter.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Sedum have not been noted    to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Sedum.-   Weather tolerance: Plants of the new Sedum have exhibited good    tolerance to rain and wind and have been observed to tolerate    temperatures from −10 to 35° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Sedum plant named ‘Novem’, asillustrated and described.